1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a washing combination incorporating a wringing system, for the cleaning of floors or other planar surfaces. It also relates to the method of wringing of the sponge mop pad that is provided on this washing device.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and CTR 1.98.
Different manual floor washing utensils are currently proposed on the market.
One of these known utensils includes a soleplate comprised of two identical pivoting plates fixed, by means of a joint, on the distal end of a shaft. On the opposite lateral edges of this soleplate, are attached the ends of a flexible mop pad which is itself fixed on a foldable framework, in conditions such that the pivoting downwards and the bringing closer together of the two portions of the soleplate cause a reverse folding of the pad which then adopts a V-shaped conformation. The soleplate and the flexible pad folded as such can be plunged into a special bucket provided with, at its upper portion, a wringing system comprised of two converging walls which, when the folded pad is inserted into said wringing system, provides a progressive bringing closer together of the two portions of the soleplate which are pressed against one another, thus providing, the wringing of said pad.
Another type of known mop comprises a plate fixed to the distal end of a shaft and against the planar lower surface of which is applied a sponge flop pad fixed, by the intermediary of its end edges, to the ends of the plate. The wringing system further comprises a special bucket of which the top is provided with a press with fingers wherein, in order to carry out the wringing, said pad is placed of which one end is detached from said plate and which remains maintained to the latter by its opposite end.
Another known device comprises a wringing system based on centrifugation, with this device comprising as particular bucket above which is placed the centrifuge wherein is placed, for the purposes of its wringing, the mop pad carried in the form of a cover maintained on the two folded portions of the small plate. Through pressure on the shaft of the utensil, a rotation is implemented and wrings said cover.
These three types of mops have the same disadvantages. They require the use of a special recipient or bucket and the quality of the wringing depends in the force that the user can provide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,025, DE-10.058.690 and EP-1.208.788 describe manual washing devices for planar surfaces comprising a soleplate connected, by means of a joint, to the distal end of a shaft and carried out in two half-portions that swivel downwards and on the lower surface of which is fixed a flexible mop pad. This device comprises a press system comprising two parallel press arms oriented downwards and mounted with an ability to slide on the shaft. The lowering of this device makes it possible to exert a simultaneous pressure on the two pivoting half-plates which swivel downward resulting in the folding of the mop pad of which the surfaces delimited by the fold line are progressively pressed against one another producing the wringing of said pad.
These washing devices further have as disadvantages requiring a substantial physical effort from the user in order to obtain the pivoting downwards of the two half-portions of the pad-holder soleplate and an imperfect wringing of the pad of which the successive foldings can result in deterioration of the friction surface of said soleplate. On the other hand, when the thrust fork is raised by sliding it upwards along the shaft, the half-plates return to the coplanar position of use under the effect of return springs, which can cause splashes.
In order to overcome the disadvantages or insufficiencies of known washing utensils, a washing utensil has also been proposed (WO-02/071908 A2) comprising a shaft comprising a proximal grasping end and a distal end connected to a flat rigid swiveling soleplate, by means of a joint allowing for swiveling in two perpendicular directions, in such a way that said soleplate can occupy a variety of positions between a first end position according to which it is placed perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft and a second position wherein it is thrust against the lower portion of said shaft, in parallel to the latter, with a pad made of spongy material being fixed in a removable manner against the lower surface of the soleplate, the utensil further comprising a device for wringing comprising a roller which can be moved along the external surface of the pad fixed on the soleplate while being pressed against said pad, with this wringing roller being rigidly connected by the intermediary of a rod with a handle mounted with an ability to slide on said shaft. When the utensil is used to wash the floor, the sponge soleplate-pad unit is placed perpendicularly or in a more or less tilted manner in relation to the shaft and the device for wringing is placed in its top position, while for the wringing said device is lowered downwards, in such a way that the pressure roller rolls over said pad by compressing it.
The major disadvantage of the device described in WO-02/071908 results from the fact that although the roller effectively wrings the water from the mop pad, it also has for effect to apply the dirt against the mop pad and, consequently, to embed the latter in said mop pad. The same phenomenon is reproduced when the wringing device is raised again in its inactive top position.
EP-1 112 713 A1 and US-2002/0102573 A1 describe washing utensils similar to that which is disclosed in WO-02/071908 A2 and which have, consequently, the same disadvantages.